Suture package



B. F. HIRSCH SUTURE PACKAGE Filed Aug. 27, 1931 June 12,

Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES SUT'URE PACKAGE Benjamin F. Hirsch,Hollis, N. Y., assignor to Davis & Geck, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application August27,

1931, Serial No. 559,728

7 Claims. (Cl. 20663.3)

The present invention relates to a package containing some material orarticle such as a surgical suture or ligature, or dressing of acharacter which must be maintained in a sterile condition 3 up to thetime of use.

The principal object of the invention is to provide such a package whichwill not only insure the maintenance 'of the articles sterility butwhich will also permit the user to actually see the article thereinand/or some designation indicating the character thereof.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a wrapping orenvelope for an article, the character of the envelope being such thatit 5 may be readily opened and the article removed therefrom withoutdestruction, mutilation or contamination of the contained article.

Another important object of the invention comprises the provision of apackage which will contain a weight where the article contained thereinis not of appreciable weight, so as to insure submergence of the articleand package in a sterilizing liquid.

In packaging surgical sutures, ligatures or the like, it is customary towrap the'same in an envelope of the letter type having a gummed flapwhich is sealed in the usual manner. Such a package is objectionableprincipallyfor the reason that the sterility of the contents cannot be 0maintained due to the inefficient sealing. which an ordinary envelopeprovides. Another objection to this type of wrapper is that theenvelopemay become accidentally torn, with consequent infection. of thecontained article, which makes it.

. worthless, or the suture may even become in: fected in the opening ofthe envelope itself just prior to use.

It has been proposed to enclose the envelope as above described within asecond envelope. Not only does the use of this second envelope veryinefiectively remedy the insecure sterility of the suture or the like,but infection of the suture may a take place when the outer envelopeisopened due to the fact that it is difficult, if not impossible, 5 totear open the outer envelope without also mutilating the inner envelope.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the invention to overcome all ofthe above defects.

In practicing the invention in one of its forms, I provide a transparentor translucent envelope, preferably of a seamless tubular nature, withinwhich the surgical suture or other object is inserted and the ends ofthe tubular envelope sealed asby means of a strip of material foldedover the ends and gummed or otherwise secured in that destroy theCellophane, or sterility may be secured by the application of therequisite amount ko'f dry heat. There is thus produced a packagecontaining a sterile envelope which in turn contains a sterile article.Even if the outer envelope is accidentally torn, the inner envelope willeffectively maintain the sterility of the article. The fact that bothenvelopes are made of seamless tubing reduces the number of accidentallyopenable seams to a minimum and eliminates the ordinary longitudinalgummed'seams'present in the usual letter type of envelope, which, ofcourse, would become loosened upon application of the sterilizing heateither wet or dry.

As a modified form of theinvention, I may distinctively color the endsor edges of the inner envelope so as to make them discernible throughthe outer envelope. This effectively makes possible the opening of theouter envelope by tearing or clipping without in any way harming ordestroying the inner envelope, the outline of which is clearlydiscernible to the nurse or other operator. The nurse, for instance,having torn or clipped one end of the outer envelope, the inner envelopeis still maintained in a sterile condition and, this envelope may bepartially shaken from the opened outer envelope and the doctor with hissterile gloved fingers may then grasp the projecting end of the innerenvelope and remove from it the suture, ligature or the like. His handsbeing sterile, the article is not infected when he in turn tears orclips the end from the inner envelope and removes the article therefrom.

In still another modified form of the invention, I may effectively sealthe edges of either the inner or outer envelopes or both as the case maybe, with a strip of metal folded over upon itself, and pinchingtherebetween the open ends of the envelopes. Not only will thesemetallic ends of the inner envelope be distinctly discernible to theoperator through the outer envelope but they also add the requisiteweight to the package to insure its sinking or submergence in asterilizing liquid which might not otherwise be the case, due either tothe fact that the surgical dressing or suture is comparatively light inweight, or that either or both envelopes my contain buoyant air.

Any or all of the above envelopes may be dipped into a waterproof pasteor sealing lacquer or thelike, for if this material is applied theretoit not only serves. to increase the degree of waterproofness andimperviousness of the wrapper, but at the same time insures efiectivesealing of the ends thereof.

' The invention further consists in the novel arrangement, combination.and construction of parts more fully hereinafter described and shown inthe accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view invention.

Fig72 is a sectional view along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view showing 'the method of removal of the inner envelopefrom the outer one.

.F g. 4 is an enlarged side view of a package partly broken away,showing the metal end sealing means.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a package to which a lacquer or similarsealingfluid has been applied to form an integral water-proof coating thereon.

Referring now with particularity to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and2, an article such as a surgical suture, ligature, dressing or the likeis shown in coil form at .1, enclosed within an inner envelope 2. Thisenvelopeis preferably of a suitable type of moisture-proof Cellophaneand may be in tubular form, the ends of which are sealed as by means ofa Cellophane strip 3 folded upon itselfand secured as by means of aCellophane binder to the open tubular ends of the envelope 2.

- he inner envelope 2 with its suture 1 is likewise enclosed within anouter envelope 4 of larger dimensions. This outer envelope is alsoprovided with a binding strip 5 sealing the ends thereof.

The package as above described may either be sterilized by submergingthe same in a sterilizing liquid or by the application of the requisiteamount of heat.

Both of the envelopes being of transparent or translucent Cellophane,enables the nurseor doctor to actually view the suture within the innerenvelope and/or a. designating tag 6 associated therewith, whichindicates.the character, kind, quality or size of the suture or otheren-- closed article. w The fact that two sterile envelopes are usedinsures the mainten'ance of the suture in a sterile condition eventhough the outer envelope is accidentally broken.

In order to prevent the accidental tearing or cutting of the innerenvelope 2 during the opening of the outer envelope 4, I prefer todistinctively color the ends 3 of the inner envelope in such a manner asto permit the same to be clearly discernible through the walls of theouter envelope. Thus, in opening the outer envelope, the

of a package embodying the periphery or ends of the inner envelope maybe seen and the end of the outer envelope torn or clipped withoutmutilation of the inner envelope. The end of the outer envelope havingbeen opened, the nurse may shake the inner envelope lout of the outerenvelope to the point where it may be grasped by the doctor, as shown inFig. 3. The doctor being provided withsterile gloves, takes in his handa package which is sterile both inside and out. This insures thedeliveryof a sterile article by opening the envelope 2.

In some instances it may be desirable to seal the ends of either or bothenvelopes by means of a metallic'strip, shown in Fig. 4 at 7 as beingfolded first upon the open ends of the envelope and then upon itself andcrimped-in that position. Not only does this form of end seal add enoughweight to the package to insure its sinking in a sterilizing fluid andthus being completely sterilized, but this method of sealing serves thesame purpose as distinctively coloring the ends, particularly of theinner envelope, inasmuch as the metal ends are clearly discerniblethrough the outer envelope.

This metallic end seal is particularly advantageous in this packagecombination as it may be used to tear the envelope end from the body.Thus the necessity forusing scissors is avoided.

In all cases above, the completed package may then be dipped into orhave applied thereto, a paste, lacquer or suitable water-proof materialto insure the imperviousness of the package, as well as to form on theoutside thereof an integral sealing film. In case the end seals 3 or 7are imperfectly made, the lacquer will remedy this defect and insure thedelivery of a sterile article.

I claim:

1. In combination, a package comprising a 'sterile article, a sterilegerm-tight envelope enclosing the same, and a second germ-tight envelopeenclosing the first envelope, and a weight associated with the packageto insure its sinking or'submergence in a sterilizing fluid.

2. In combination, a package comprising a sterile article, a sterilegerm-tight envelope enclosing the same, and a'second germ-tight envelopeenclosing the first envelope and a weight attached to the first envelopeto insure its sinking or submergence in asterilizing fluid.

3. In combination, a package comprising a sterile article, a sterilegerm-tight envelope enclosing'the same, and. a second germ tightenvelope enclosing the first envelope,'the first envelope having ametallic end discernible through the walls of the second envelope thesaid metallic end serving to assist in making the end of the firstenvelope to which it is attached discernible through the walls of thesecond envelope and also serving to assist in causing the package to.sink on submerge in a sterilizing fluid.

4. In combination, a package comprising a sterile article, a sterilegerm-tight envelope en- I closing the same, and a second germ-tightenvelope enclosing the first envelope, one of said envelopes comprisingtubular material, and a metallic sheet crimped over the open endsthereof to seal the same.

5. In combination, a package comprising a sterile article,a sterilegerm-tight envelope enclosing the same, and a second germ-tight envelopeenclosing the first envelope, one of said envelopes comprising tubularmaterial, and a metallic sheet crimped over the open ends thereof toseal the same, and a coating of lacquer completely covering the secondenvelope as an integral film.

6. In combination, a package comprising a sterile articleJ a sterilegerm-tight envelope enclosing the same, and a second germ-tight en-'velope enclosing the firstenvelope, each envelope consisting of a lengthof seamless tubing, the ends of which are sealed by a folded over sheetof material, the sealed ends of the first or inner envelope beingdistinctively marked and dis- 7, In combination, a package comprising asterile article, a sterile germ-tightenvelope enclosing the same, and'asecond germ-tight envelope enclosing the first envelope, each envelopeconsisting of a length of seamless tubing, the ends of which are sealedby a folded over sheet material, the sealed ends of the first or inner

